Gangster Squad

Rated R110 minutes2013

An impressive cast is assembled to play one lousy game of cops and robbers. Sean Penn mugs and squawks through the role of Mickey Cohen, a real-life L.A. gangster who didn’t really do anything depicted in this moronic movie. This is about a late ’40s, mostly fictional effort to dethrone Cohen led by a gutsy cop (Josh Brolin). His squad includes Ryan Gosling (in his worst performance yet) and Giovanni Ribisi (pretty much doing his Giovanni Ribisi thing), and they “leave their badges home” to take down the monster. And a monster he is, badly acted by Penn who can be the worst man in his trade when he tries. Gosling utilizes a soft and high-pitched gangster voice that renders him silly. Emma Stone is on hand in what is a rather unlikable role, yet we are supposed to like her (She sleeps with Cohen, then two-times him, so she’s stupid and unfaithful). Sure to stand as one of the year’s worst films.
ByBob Grimm